broccoli salad

this is beyond good. 

• 8 slices bacon
• 2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. make bacon and cut into small pieces.  i zap in the microwave cause i hate to get burned when i make it on the stove and it seems to be a little less greasy. i just put in on a plate with paper towels over and under it and cook till it is done. 

2. put broccoli, cheese, onion, bacon in bowl.

3. prepare the dressing in a small bowl- whisk together the red wine vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. combine dressing with salad. cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

some people like to add nuts or sunflower seeds, raisins, and/or grated carrots.  luke would throw up if there were raisins in it, so i don't do that.  but that doesn't mean you can't.  also you could use low fat mayo, or lessen the amount a tad and it wouldn't hurt either.  

Spinach Fruit Smoothie

O.k. I got a great new smoothie receipe from my friend, Ann Dee. The great thing is you use spinach and so it's extra healthy, but extra yummy! Just add in whatever fruit you like, and orange juice concentrate and a little liquid. Here's what we did:

1 cup fresh spinach
strawberries
bananas
a scoop orange juice concentrate, or to taste
water or juice (you need some liquid)

Experiment with whatever fruits you have or like: kiwi, blueberries, peaches... Give it a try. You'll be amazed at how good it tastes!

Anyone?

Does anyone have a good baked ziti recipe? I have the noodles and realized I don't know a recipe or how to make it...

Thanks!

My own creation

Last weekend we had an Iron Chef competition with my husbands family. Missy asked for the recipes. Really, the only one worth posting is the dessert Missy. The others had some flaws to work through. Our secret ingredient was pasta, so if you are daring enough to make a dessert out of pasta, here it is. (Of course I think this would be just as fabulous with Crepes)

Manicotti Shells
Kiwi
Strawberries
Mango
Nutella
Cream cheese
Condensed milk
Whip cream

Stuff the cooked manicotti with kiwi, strawberries and mangos. Top each tube with a layer of Nutella. Mix about 4 oz. cream cheese with 1/2 can condensed milk. Whip up your whip cream and then fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread on top of nutella. We also crushed pistachios and put them on top. I wish I had a picture. It was really good, and it won us our Iron Chef competition.

Marscapone cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

My sister-in-law made these cupcakes last night, and they were so tasty! The recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis.

8 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Special equipment: 4 mini muffin tins and 48 mini muffin paper cupcake liners

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the mini tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the mini cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, puree the strawberries in a blender or small food processor. Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry puree and whisk until smooth. Top the cooled cupcakes with the strawberry glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up, then serve.

Golden Gate Grills

Just got this recipe from my new friend Charity. Yums!

2-3 beaten eggs
Parmesan cheese (the kind you buy and use for pasta)
sliced ham and turkey (I like to have it thinly sliced at the deli)
avocado..sliced or mashed*
red onion, sliced thinly
sliced tomato (use 1-2 based on the amount of sandwiches you are planning on making)
sliced cheese (Provolone, Muenster, Cheddar...choose your favorite)
Bread of choosing (whole grain, sourdough, buttermilk...again, you choose)

1. Dip one side of one slice of bread in beaten egg, shake Parmesan cheese over the egg, covering the bread slice entirely, (don't worry if your Parmesan cheese is piled in places)

2. Place in hot buttered pan, egg side down (just as if you were making a grilled cheese or french toast.

3. Pile remaining ingredients on top of bread slice.

4. Top with remaining slice of bread, with one side dipped in egg and covered in Parmesan cheese.

5. Grill until golden (similar to grilled cheese) Cut in half and enjoy...

*I like to mash my avocado instead of slicing it so they don't slide off my sandwich, I also like to place my cheese on last, so it's closest to the bread and melts when the sandwich is flipped.

Purple Cabbage Salad

My friend Leah made this at our dinner last night. It was SO good. And it was a beautiful salad too.

1 bag shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (or mozzarella)
2 sliced green onions
1/2 cup raisins and/or dried cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Combine and enjoy!

Lemonade Cake

This is one of my very favorite summer desserts. My mom always makes it and I'm attempting it today with some dinner with friends.

1 lemon cake mix
1 small pkg. instant lemon pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
2 cup powdered sugar
1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade, thawed

Combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil and water. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour cake mixture into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes. While cake is still warm, combine the powdered sugar and thawed lemonade. Beat for 1 minute. Pierce the top of the warm cake with a fork about every three inches. Pour lemonade mixture over the top, evenly. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on cake rack. Serve with whipped cream on top, if desired. Refrigerate remaining cake.*

*Best to make the night before since it is so much better cold.

Grilled Veggie Soft Tacos

Thanks Missy! I'm excited to be a guest on this food blog. It's always good to find new recipes, and I have already used some on this blog. I'd like to share something we had for dinner this week and something we absolutely love! And as is the case with most recipes, I got this from someone else. So to give credit where credit is due - this is from my cousin Robyn, who copied it from a Tex-Mex restaurant. This is a great summer dish because it's a little lighter and SO good. Enjoy!

1 yellow squash

1 yellow onion

1 clove minced

garlic

1 zucchini

Seasonings (I have only used chili powder and cumin sprinkled over the veggies, but you could do lemon and salt and pepper or whatever else you like)

Can of black beans

Grated cheese

Salsa Verde (or regular)

Sour Cream

Soft taco sized flour tortillas

Tomatoes

Cilantro

Cut the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise in half and then into ½ inch pieces. Chop onion and mince garlic. Sautee garlic, onion and veggies in a little olive oil in skillet until preferred crispness of vegetables. Add preferred seasonings.

Then just add black beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream on top. You could also make a little pico de gallo to put on top in place of the salsa verde. Dicing tomatoes with cilantro, lemon, salt and pepper & a little olive oil.

Welcome Ann Marie

Another guest blogger to add to the mix on Add To Desired Taste! Welcome Ann Marie. I knew her back in college...and have stayed in touch the best of ways...via a blog. She has been living in our nation's capitol for the past two years, but currently resides in Iowa for the summer as her husband does his law internship. They have two adorable little boys. She is a fabulous cook and I'm sure will share some great recipes, bound to be part of my "staple" recipe list.

glazed curried carrots

ever buy a bag of small carrots and don't get around to eating them as quick as planned on? i do it all the time. solution to my problem:

1 C baby carrots
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp water

1. in a saucepan, combine carrots, oil, sugar, curry powder, garlic, and salt to taste. cook over medium heat, stirring, until sizzling and fragrant, about 3 min. add water. cover and reduce heat so mixture simmers.
2. cook until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. uncover and toss, until all liquid is gone and carrots are glazed, about one minute.

from women's health mag.

Frozen Chocolate Sandwiches

Don't these sound like a fun treat? Maybe after FHE? It's like a frozen smore. We are having a neighborhood potluck this weekend and I'm thinking of bringing these.

3/4 cup whole milk
24 marshmallows
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated or chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
18 graham crackers

Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing the foil to hang over the sides. Heat the milk and marshmallows in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Working quickly, fold the whipped cream into the chilled chocolate mixture, mixing until no traces of white remain. Spoon into the prepared dish. Tap the dish on the counter to remove air bubbles. Freeze, covered, until set, at least 3 hours. Holding both sides of the foil, transfer the frozen block to a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares. Break the graham crackers in half. Layer the chocolate squares between the crackers to make 12 double-decker sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a plate, cover, and return to freezer until ready to serve.

Yummy Granola Bars

Again, a recipe from my friend Ann Marie (see recipe below too!). Homemade granola bars?! Yes, please. I'll be making this soon.

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade

My friend Ann Marie just sent me this recipe, which I am so going to make this weekend after I buy a watermelon. Wish I had gotten the email before I went to Trader Joes (I always seem to have luck picking a good watermelon from them) this morning. Doesn't this sound like the perfect summer drink?

8 cups cubed watermelon
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 c. sugar
2 cups water

Combine in blender. Blend until smooth

Samshed White Bean & Avocado Club

Because I love a good veggie sandwich.

2 15-oz. cans white beans, rinsed and drained
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
12 slices multigrain bread
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced {peeled, if desired}
Sprouts
2 avocados, pitted & thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, combine the beans, oil, salt, & pepper. Roughly mash the mixture with the back of a fork. Place 8 of the bread slices on a work surface. Divide the mashed beans among the slices. Top with the onion, cucumber, sprouts and avocado. Stack the open-faced sandwiches on top of each other, to make 4 double-decker sandwiches. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread.
Slice in half, & serve.

from wire whisk

Taking Food to Others...

I took dinner to a family in my ward tonight, but I had a difficult time deciding what to take. Something that universally most people like. I always have a tough time with this actually. What do you usually take to people? Do you have a list of a few things you take and rotate it or do you just take what you were planning on making (just doubled or tripling the cooking?).

I ended up taking potato salad, watermelon, carrot sticks, chicken legs and some of those Hawaiian rolls with a carton of Breyers ice cream for dessert. I wanted to take some of the Trader Joe's brownie bites, but just didn't make it there today.

Just curious...

Rosemary Chicken and Zuchinni

Yum. I'm totally making this.

1 pound new potatoes
2 carrots
2 small zucchini
Olive oil
Whole-grain mustard
1 bunch rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Quarter the potatoes. Peal and cut the carrots and zucchini into 2 inch sticks. Mix them in a bowl with 2 TB olive oil, 2 TB mustard, 1 TB rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oven to 400° F. Remove the bags from the freezer (you'll need 1 bag for each serving). Empty the contents of the bags into a baking dish. Roast for 25 minutes. Toss the vegetables, turn the chicken, and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes more. Divide among individual plates.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

via Real Simple

Spinach and Feta Frittata

I had this at a baby shower on Saturday and it was so good! I haven't tried the recipe myself, but I made sure to get it before I left. The woman who made it says she subsitutes low-fat versions of the cheeses and it comes out just the same (but I think if you are going to eat cheese, just eat the real stuff:)

1 package fresh spinach (cooked down and squeezed to removed extra water)
12 eggs
½ cup milk
½ -3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
8 oz. Cottage cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cheddar cheese
Pepper to taste

Directions: Whisk eggs till light and fluffy and add milk. Mix again till combined. Add all remaining ingredients together in bowl and mix. Pour mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F, until centre is set and slightly golden on top. This may take anywhere between 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven.

Roasted Potatoes

This is one of my favorite sides of late... It's so simple and yet so yummy! Great side with fish or simpler chicken/meat dishes.

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered (I just use white baking potatoes)
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag; toss to coat. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees F for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Top Ramen Salad

small head of cabbage, chopped
1 package top ramen chicken soup
2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

DRESSING:
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
seasoning packet from soup

Mix cabbage, seeds, almonds, and chicken. Pour dressing over and mix in. Chill several hours. Before serving, crumble noodles on top and fold.

Oprah's Cheese Sandwich

I DVR Oprah, and usually end up missing a lot of them if I don't get a chance to sit down and watch them. But, I just got to indulge for a bit tonight and watched a show called "Sandwich Showdown" that was tivoed from this week's Oprah.

1) I had no idea Oprah loved sandwiches so much. I do too!
2) Soup and a sandwich is my ideal meal. Love, love, love it.
3) I wish I could go on a taste testing of the nation's greatest sandwiches too.

I digress. I have to jot this cheese sandwich down before I forget it. I'm going to try to make it this week:

fresh, organic bread
havarti cheese
fontina cheese
honey
fresh tomatoes
fresh basil
european butter (?? my simple earth balance will have to do)

Grill to perfection.

I would never think to add honey, but they said it key (along with the basil).

BBQ Teriyaki Salmon

I had this at my parents house a few weeks ago...delicious.

I bought the wild caught salmon (better for you than farm raised) and marinated it in teriyaki sauce overnight. These are key. Get yourself a cedar board (pack of three at BBQ Galore) and bbq it on low for about 20 minutes. Guaranteed new favorite way to cook salmon.

*The cedar boards are a one time use only and you must soak it in water (submerged) for at least two hours before putting on bbq.

Breaded Chicken Wraps

I bought some frozen breaded chicken from Trader Joe's the other day. I put it in a tortilla with avocado, lettuce and tomatos with the Trader Joe's thick and creamy organic ranch dressing. So tasty! Easy meal, especially for a hot summer day.

Banoffee Pie

I think I've shared this recipe with Missy, but it is always a hit when I need to bring a dessert somewhere (among Brits and Americans). It's super easy, minus giving yourself a couple hours to be at home for the boiling of sweetened condensed milk. Oh, and it's not very healthy! :)

Banoffee Pie

1 pkg. of hobnobs (or enough graham crackers to cover the base of a 9x13 pan as hobnobs are hard to find in the US)

1 cup of melted butter

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 ripe bananas

Plenty of double or whipping cream

2 Cadbury flake bars or a Hershey type chocolate bar (This is just for presentation and would be grated or crumbled on the top of the whipping cream.)

In a pot boil the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for ≈ 2 1/2 hours. Check occasionally and add water as needed so that the can is always covered with water. Meanwhile, crush the graham crackers with a glass (I put them in a ziploc and use a rolling pin) and mix with the melted butter. Press into serving dish and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least an hour. When solidified, spread the boiled condensed milk on top of crust. Slice bananas and spread out on top of the milk layer. Whip the cream and then spread generously on the banana layer. Sprinkle top with grated Hershey bar or another chocolate candy of choice. Refrigerate until serving.

**Occasionally, you may find Dulce de Leche next to the sweetened condensed milk in the same can/packaging. This works too and obviously takes away from the boiling.

mexican meat mix

this was given to me by a friend with a crock pot for our wedding. it is a great filling for tacos, chimichangas, burritos, anything really.

original recipe (with my variations in red):

5 lbs beef roast or combo of beef and pork
2 tbsp veg shortening or oil (didn't use)
3 onions chopped (didn't use)
1 4oz. can chopped green chilies
2 7 oz cans green chili salsa (i used some of this then half a can of regular salsa as well)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp flour (didn't use)
4 tsp salt (used half that)
1 tsp ground cumin
juices from roast

cook:
cook in crock pot for 12 hours on low (6 hours on high did the job just fine)
let meat cool in crock pot
melt shortening or oil in large skillet, add onions and green chilies and saute. add the rest of the ingredients and cool for a minute over med heat. add meat and shred, while mixing it all together add some of the juices. cook 5 minutes till thick. add to whatever you are making.

but honestly, who needs more grease in this recipe- i skipped the whole saute onions and all. i just put the meat with some of it's juice in the skillet and shredded it. then i added the other ingredients and stirred it till it was hot and yummy.

i filled tortillas, rolled them, closed with a toothpick and fried them up. see what i mean about who needs more grease? usually i hate fried foods, but these are really good.

Leeks

Leeks: They have a milder, sweeter flavour than onions and a smooth texture similar to asparagus. In fact, in France leeks are often called the 'poor man's asparagus'. (via British Leeks)

I'm new to leeks. I don't remember eating them while growing up...or really ever until I moved to the UK, but my husband ate them all the time in his home. While looking for an image of leeks, I even came across a website called British Leeks. So, I think it's safe to say they are a very popular vegetable in this country! I can see why too. They are one of my favorites. I've only cooked them two ways so far (as side dishes), but I'll share what I know!

Firstly, the edible part of leeks are the white onion looking part and the light green stalk. So cut off the root and most of the dark green stalk. Then rinse well. You can cut them anyway you like - I usually cut them into 1-2cm or so type circles or rings.

The friendly British Leeks site (seriously, a whole site dedicated to this vegetable?) explains the various ways of cooking leeks so well. I've just copied their words for what I do.

Pan fried/ Sauteed - heat a small amount of olive oil and butter in a frying pan, add some sliced leeks and gently cook for about 5-10 minutes until tender. (I let them get a tinsy bit of brown on them + add sea salt.)

Roasted - pour some olive oil into a roasting tray and add leeks, making sure they are coated all over. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven (400 F ) for 30 minutes

There a ton of recipes that incorporate leeks into the actual dish, but so far I have mostly just stuck to eating them as a side dish to fish, chicken, or macaroni and cheese (and the like). I think seasoning them with sea salt is key. If you like salmon, this looks like an easy recipe to try. I will substitute with a white fish as I'm not a salmon fan. I'd also like to try Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream sometime.

Try them as your next side vegetable dish and see if you like them!

Tell me...

...that you saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks. I can't imagine a more fun dessert (or gift) to give to someone or bring out after a little party.

Baked Lemon Spaghetti

We had this tonight. It was light and tasty and a great side for fish or citrusy chicken dishes. Not very cinco de mayo-ish though.

1 package spaghetti (I actually used fusili noodles just to make it more fun)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 8 oz. carton sour cream
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
3 tb. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and place in a casserole dish. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and stir in sour cream, lemon peel and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Pour mixture over noodles in casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and add parmesan cheese. Seaon with salt and pepper to taste.

PS: I'm taking a break from my nightly dinner meals. I'll just post something if it is new + tasty.

Quick Update

Great meals this weekend - we had taco bowls (so fun, all mini and bowl-like) one night and then a bbq at my sister's house another. I also made this meal on Friday night. Delicious. It is on the menu again this week, with fresh edamame and I will be adding some fortune cookies as a side. I accidentally added chicken because I thought I saw it on the ingredients, but after cleaning up the dinner I noticed it was not actually included. Either way, it's a new favorite in our house.

Lemon Squares

This is my mom's recipe and another one of my favorites. Like most of my lemon recipes, I always add a little more lemon into the recipe (be it more zest or more juice).

Lemon Squares

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
6 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions: Mix the softened butter, 2 cups flour and powdered sugar together. Butter should be softened, but not melted. This creates a doughy-type base. Pat into a 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the filling, mix eggs, sugar, 1/4 cup flour and lemon juice together. Pour over cooked crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cool, dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Enjoy!

Love me some lemons

Hi, there! I'm excited to post some of my favorite recipes on ATDT. Thanks for letting me be a guest blogger, Missy (and other contributors)!

Right now I have lemons on my mind! I pretty much love anything with lemons, so it is only fitting that for a family picnic tomorrow I'll be making my favorite lemon cupcakes! The recipe is from All Recipes.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (sometimes I add an extra tsp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon milk

Directions: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Welcome Lindsey!

Welcome our newest (and second ever, remember Lillie?) guest blogger on Add To Desired Taste.

A bit about Lindsey...she married Alan from London and now lives there with him and their daughter Isobel. She is pregnant (with a boy!) due on July 2nd. She loves to travel (their latest family vacation was to Egypt) and she usually posts recipes on this foodie blog. After she posted about leeks and how they were her new favorite vegetable I asked her to guest blog. I didn't have a clue what they (leeks) were, let alone how to cook them. I'm sure she will provide us with some great, new recipes.

Welcome Lindsey!

The Last Two Nights

Wednesday Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwiches on croissants. Basically, I just put cooked chicken breast, sliced grapes, pine nuts, chopped celery and some carrots slivers and mixed it with mayonaiise and salt and pepper. On a croissant and it was tasty. I'm not sure what other chicken salad sandwich recipes include, but this one was good.

Thursday Dinner: Pizza. Again, feeling vegetarian so we just did a fresh mozzarella cheese on Trader Joe's pizza dough (good, but I am still missing my bread maker fresh dough).

On the menu for tomorrow? Taco Bowls

Pasta Primavera

This is the reason I can't post weekly menus: it's too difficult for me to stick by it. I get a craving and my dinners change up throughout the week. Today, I was simply not wanting any meat. So, while at the store I got all the veggies for Pasta Primavera.

Zuchinni, Brocolli, Peas and fresh Tomatoes combined with Linguine noodles and Alfredo sauce.

I always go with the homemade alfredo recipe with my primavera pasta, but I have one recipe that I want to try sometime soon (this one) courtesy of my friend Lindsey.

Also, big week around here at ATDT. We'll be having our second guest blogger soon!

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

I made these last night and goodness, they were good. It was the perfect summer meal. It may seem like we are having "sandwich" meals a lot, but we like them around here so we go with it when we can. I got this off Most Likely Late.

Ciabatta bread
Pesto sauce (I buy the one from Trader Joe's because it is pretty thick, easy to spread)
Large red tomatoes
Romaine Lettuce
BBQ grilled chicken breast (thinly sliced tenders are a good choice for this meal)
Fresh mozzarella

Grill the chicken on the bbq. Meanwhile, slice open the ciabatta bread and broil the cheese. Spread pesto sauce once finished over the mozzarella and top with tomatoes and lettuce. Once chicken is done, layer on top and you have a super tasty sandwich that needs no extra garnishings!

Served with tortilla chips and steamed brocolli.

*I also think this would be great if you have a panini maker.

this week's menu

Missy, I love the idea of posting our weekly menus. Here is mine:

Monday – Raspberry Chipotle pork tenderloin, rice, broccoli, rolls
Tuesday – burgers on the grill, baked beans, green salad
Wednesday – cantaloupe and bocconcini salad, steamed artichokes, rolls
Thursday - bean and chicken burritos, some finger veggies and fruit
Friday- tostadas, topped with refried beans, taco seasoned beef, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and chopped black olives, and steamed artichokes (again! random pairing, but how do you say no to artichokes?!?)

I will also add a couple of links to our growing list of inspiration, I have a couple of sites that I have been checking regularly that are just beautiful .

Chicken and bean burritos

This is the perfect dinner to take to Disneyland. Throw it in a thermos, bring some cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and tortillas, assemble and eat!

2-3 chicken breasts
1 can of Bush's chili beans
1 cup of salsa

1-2 cups of cooked rice

Put chicken, beans and salsa in a crockpot, cook for 3-5 hours, shred chicken. Add rice during the last 30 minutes. Roll up into a tasty burrito.

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

2 (1 lb. each) pork tenderloins
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (from Costco)

In a small bowl combine rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well; rub over tenderloins. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet, over medium heat. Place tenderloins in skillet and sear, turning with tongs, about 1 minute per side. Place skillet in oven, and roast tenderloins until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat, registers 145 degrees F., about 35 minutes.

Remove pork to a serving platter and coat generously with Fischer & Wieser Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.

Cantaloupe, Ham and Bocconcini Salad

This was my inspiration for the following dinner:

1 ripe cantaloupe, scooped into 1-inch balls with a melon baller (about 3 cups)
8 ounces bocconcini (small fresh-mozzarella balls)
1 cup cubed ham
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces


In a large bowl, combine cantaloupe, bocconcini, and ham. Shake olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve melon/ham combination over lettuce, pour dressing over top. Serve immediately.

Catch Up

So, this weekend was great. We spent Friday evening at the pool with a picnic dinner (excellent weather here in California this weekend...still 80 degree at 6:00 pm making a dinner poolside extremely pleasant). We spent Saturday afternoon at the beach and while I didn't feel like our usual bean and cheese burritos from Pedro's, I came home and made a thick veggie sandwich with cucumbers, avocado, tomatoes, cheese and shredded carrots. Delicious. And since I paired it with some snacks it was the perfect amount.

Sunday was spent at my parents. My mom made a great teriyaki salmon on the bbq with pad thai noodles and artichokes with a side of flaxseed ciabatta bread (had no idea there was such a thing, but it was good). For dessert that night we had vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries from Costco. I guess raspberries are in season beginning right now because they were perfectly sweet and not too tart at all.

I've got some tasty meals coming this week, including the asian pasta salad I posted about below.

Question: Kitchen Aid

I have a question for you (all three of you readers). My bread maker broke (gasp!). I seriously couldn't live without it. I loved making homemade pizza dough and bread. I'm so sad. So, I'm on the search for something to replace it. In the meantime I will go without homemade bread and will be using Trader Joe's pizza dough. But, I'm curious about the Kitchen Aid mixers. I've read that you can make dough and bread out of it. Has anyone done just that? I'm not a huge baker (besides chocolate chip cookies) which I know is a big plus for the kitchen aid. Does anyone have it that can offer advice?

The "Rachel" Sandwich

Not the best photo, I was hungry, but I threw some chips on and the salad is in the background

I grabbed this recipe from This Week For Dinner. It's called the Rachel sandwich, sister to the classic Reuben sandwich and much preferred in our house!

Whole wheat bread
Deli turkey
Swiss Cheese
Thousand Island dressing
Coleslaw*

Get yourself some really good bread. I bought organic whole wheat, but a nine grain is sounding especially good right now too. Rye is a classic, if your taste buds agree to it.

Layer your sandwich with thousand island dressing, deli turkey, swiss cheese, and coleslaw. Grill on the stove and you're done. So easy. And they are really fresh and light so Devin ate two and I probably could have as well...

Served with pita chips and tomato, avocado, mozzrella salad (below).

*The recipe calls for coleslaw, but I only had sliced carrots and cabbage so I went with it and it turned out really tasty still.

Avocado, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Such a simple recipe and a fun change as far as salad's go. Slice up avocado, tomatoes and fresh mozzrella and top with lots of salt and some pepper. Delicious!

We had it tonight and I forgot how much I loved it -- I used to order it a lot when I studied abroad in London.

Tortellini Salad

I'm so proud of myself tonight. I made up a new meal (sort of)! I was inspired by this recipe, but changed it up a bit to my own liking and, well, it came out unbelievably good. It's just the thing I would serve at a baby shower because it was really pretty (picture may not do justice) and was just that good.

I served it with ciabatta bread and applesauce.

1 package fresh cheese tortellini (Trader Joe's)
3 cans chicken broth
1 chicken breast, grilled and chopped in bite size pieces
1/2 cup pine nuts
2-3 large tomatoes chopped
3 cups fresh spinach, steamed and chopped (I bought Trader Joes organic spinach leaves in the bag)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar dressing
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Boil tortellini in chicken broth (a tip from my friend Staci to make chicken dishes extra savory). Meanwhile grill chicken (or could be boiled just as easily). Once both are finished, toss in a bowl with pine nuts, chopped tomatoes, spinach and toss with balsamic vinegar. Top with Parmesan cheese.

*A plus is that I made it all by 10 am. I'm sure it's pretty good warm too, but it was very tasty as a cool pasta salad.

Salsa

If you know anyone in the San Diego region, have them pick you up this little number at the market (only sold in SD!). Devin's parents brought it up for Avery's birthday party and oh...it's the best kind of salsa. I would mail it to my friends, but it is all fresh ingredients and has to be kept refrigerated.

Asian Pasta Salad

One the menu for the weekend. I will let you know how it turns out, but it was given to me by my friend Kelli and every recipe she's offered has turned out fabulous. So...it seems like a guarantee.

1 lb. Pad Thai Noodles or linguine (I use Linguine)
1 large red pepper, cut, cleaned, julienned
1 cup sliced almonds
12 green onions cut on angle
1 large carrot, peeled, julienned
1/2 cup sugar

Cook noodles until al dente. Rinse with cold water to shock. To caramelize the almonds, put sugar in a teflon pan on medium heat with almonds on top of the sugar. Heat until sugar melts then stir almonds and melted sugar together. Remove from heat and spread out the almonds on parchment paper to cool.

Dressing:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T Rice vinegar
2 T sesame oil
1 t. ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil

To make dressing, combine brown sugar, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil in a bowl. Whisk until well mixed. Combine dressing with julinned carrots and red peppers, green onions, candied almonds and toss with noodles. Garnish with green onions.

(Salad) Sandwiches

Tuesday are Devin's late nights going from work to mutual and then home around 9:00. So, we did a simple dinner of egg salad sandwiches. I was vegetarian for several years and have never really enjoyed eggs, but for some reason I can't pass up an egg salad sandwich. They always look tasty to me. Chicken salad for that matter too. Anyone have a good recipe for those?

White Bean Dip

My friend Tara got this recipe out of a magazine and made it as "dippers" for a dinner with her two kids (husband was working late that night). Doesn't it look yums?

2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch thyme
3 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, pressed

A Success!

I made these tonight. It was a total success. They were fantastic. I bought wild caught, fresh mahi mahi and I think it might have made them just that much better. Paired the dinner with some fresh, white corn and we were all happy (Ave actually had a bean and cheese taco).

Artichokes

I can't help myself every spring when the artichokes come around at the market. Delicious! I had my menu for the week planned, grocery list in hand when I walked into the store and saw buckets full of artichokes at 89 cents a piece. They were the perfect olive-y green color with yellow tips and full of fresh leaves that I got 4, wishing for more. We'll be having artichokes at least once a week this spring. I love them.

I grew up with artichokes and mac & cheese for dinner. It was the meal that went together so I'm passing it onto my family. We dined on mac & cheese, artichokes and sweet, wheat bread tonight for dinner. One of my favorite meals.

Sunday Afternoon

My baby girl is taking a nap and Devin is watching golf before he has to leave for some meetings. I've got three ripe bananas so decide to make a few batches of banana bread. Not much better on a cool Sunday afternoon than warm banana bread!

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup ripe mashed bananas (I use 3)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
chopped nuts (optional)
chocolate chips (optional)

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and banana. Add flour and baking powder. Mix well and add the rest of (optional) ingredients. Pour into loaf pants and bake at 350 for approx 35-40 minutes. Test with tooth pick inserted into center for doneness. Remove from pan and cool before slicing.

Pizza, Again

I know, pizza again? Two nights in one week? Not totally strange, but still, we usually mix it up more than that.

See, Devin had his duathlon (5K run, 30K bike, 5K run) today and after all three of us enjoyed an afternoon nap I thought about making fish tacos for dinner when he said, "I actually really feel like pizza." So? Any man of mine who does a race deserves his dinner of choice.

We made a different kind though: fresh dough, fresh mozzarella (yes! I finally found the real mozzarella), basil, pine nuts with fresh tomatoes atop.

It was tasty. And we paired a green salad with it. Yum.

Two Nights Dinner

So, these aren't recipes but it is a food blog.

I always have a hard time deciding what to make for dinner. It is my goal to jot down what we eat so I can come back to it. And maybe a comment or two will pop up and offer me an idea too. I'm totally open to them.

Last Night was "on the go" since we spent the late afternoon/evening at Disneyland. Great on the go meals are burritos/taquitos, easy sandwiches, fresh veggies (snap peas, carrots, grape tomatoes and cucumbers) and fruit. With Trader Joe's cats cookies for a late evening snack while riding Autopia.

Tonight is a carbo load since Devin is racing in a duathlon tomorrow morning (run, bike, run). We're having spaghetti, fresh french bread and a salad.

Dinner

Dinner tonight: bbq chicken pizza, green salad (romaine, cucumber, tomatoes and avocado) with mini carrot sticks.

Sundance Tortilla Soup

If we are ever in Utah, we make sure to stop at the Sundance Foundry Grill for dinner. Everything on the menu is tasty, but our favorite is the tortilla soup. Lucky us, we got the recipe last time we were there. It really is especially tasty.

3 TB olive oil
1 jalapeno, fresh, minced
1 red onion, medium sized, chopped
3 Cups roma tomatoes, diced
3 Cups corn kernels, preferably fresh
1 TB cumin seed
2 Quarts chicken stock
2 TB fresh cilantro
3 Cups grilled chicken breast, diced

Garnish: Avocado, Lime, Tortilla chips/strips, salt, pepper and tabasco

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the jalapeno, onion, tomato and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring until all the vegetables are soft. Add cilantro and cumin and cook another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the grilled chicken breast and anymore fresh cilantro, heat through and serve. Garnish each bowl with avocado, lime and tortilla chips/strips.

Dinner

Tonight's dinner: deli turkey sandwiches, fresh steamed brocolli, strawberries and potato salad. My potato salad is simple. It consists of potatoes, hard boiled eggs, pickles, celery, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper.

Fish Tacos

It's been a while, but I'm back. I got this recipe from my friend Kathryn's blog and it's on my menu this week. Doesn't it seem very Rubios-ish?

1 lb. firm white fish
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
2 cups finely sliced cabbage
1/2 cups chopped green onions
1/2 cup sour cream
8 (6-in) corn tortillas
extra lime wedges
salt and pepper
Mango salsa (for garnish)
Grated cheese (optional)

Heat oil and saute fish on medium high heat until cooked, about 7-10 minutes.
Combine taco seasoning, lime juice and orange juice. Add coked fish, and toss to coat.
Combine cabbage, onions, sour cream and salt and pepper.
Warm tortillas. On top of warm tortilla, add cheese, fish, then cabbage mixture.
Top with mango salsa and fresh squeezed lime juice.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2 c. cottage cheese
1 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c.vegetable oil
1/4 c. wheat germ
8 eggs

Put all ingredients in a blender. Mix until smooth. Cook on a very hot, lightly oiled griddle until lightly browned. Flip and brown the other side. They cook a little slower than regular pancakes.

chocolate cookies

probably my favorite cookies when they have the cranberries in them.

2 C flour
1/2 C cocoa
3/4 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
1 C butter softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

optional:
white chocolate chips
dried cranberries

mix together dry ingredients (although i skip this- we don't have a dishwasher and i don't want to wash another bowl)

you know the cookie drill:
preheat oven to 350
blend sugars and butter, add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
add dry ingredients.
mix in whatever you want to add whatever you want- i have not tired nuts but that might be good too.

bake for 8-10 minutes- don't over bake, they will not be chewy or soft, and when you take them out of the oven let them cook for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then place on cookie rack thing to cool the rest of the way.
enjoy.

stuffed peppers

i promise i still cook. the fear of missy kicking me off of this blog (i kid, i kid...) has motivated me to add a few recipes.
we had these last night, they are so yummy. i'm posting the original recipe, but there are a lot of ()'s with how i change it ;) i can't stick to a recipe for the life of me.

6 med-large peppers, any color (although i use three- tell you why in the directions)
2 cups rice (i use half brown, half white)
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb. sausage (i use half or more of the frozen jimmy dean HOT)
2 cloves garlic, finley chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tomatoe diced
4 tbsp white wine (i use water)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
6 tbsp parmesan
2 tbsp itallian spices
salt and pepper to taste

1. cut the tops off of the peppers. (this is where i do it differently, because sometimes a whole pepper is just too much, even for a big pepper fan. i like to cut the peppers vertically and fill them really full with the stuffing. that way you get the great pepper taste without getting a pepper overload.) scoop out the seeds and unwanted insides. blanch in a large pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes and place on paper towel, top down to dry.

2. boil the rice according to the istructions but drain and rinse in cold water 3 minutes before reccomended cooking time is up. (i have done it this way and i have just cooled it all the way in a rice cooker and it made no difference, so save yourself some trouble!)

3. cook sausage and drain grease.

4. in a large frying pan heat oil and saute onion till soft. add garlic, tomatoe, and water and cook for 5 minutes.

5. preheat oven to 375. remove mixture from heat. in a large bowl stir together mixture, sausage, rice, spices, motzzarella and 4 tbsp of parmesan. season with salt and pepper.

6. stuff peppers. sprinkle tops with remaining parmesan and drizzle with a little oil.

7. arrange peppers in shallow baking dish, and pour in enough water to come up1/4 inch on the sides of the peppers. bake for 25 minutes.

it sounds like a project, but it really is super good and is not that hard. i get the package of mulit-colored peppers from costco and vary the colors when i make it. you can add whatever, if i have basil i add some of that, and sometimes i like to add spinach too.

Bacon Corn Chowder

I haven't been posting lately because I haven't been trying anything new. Last night, however, I made this delicious soup from Rachel Ray along with some steamed broccoli and Salad Caprese. It was a tasty veggie filled night! Yummers.

1 quart chicken broth
4 ears of fresh corn, shucked
2 T. olive oil
6 slices of bacon
2 T. butter
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 T. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 dashes of Tabasco
salt and pepper
2 T. flour
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Place the chicken stock in a medium pot over high heat, bring it to boil. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and put the kernels and the empty cobs (to get the most amount of corn flavor) in the boiling broth. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

In a large pot over medium high heat, add 2 T. of olive oil. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and place on paper to drain. Add the butter and the onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, Tabasco, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes or until the onions are starting to brown. Add the flour and cook for another minute or so.

Remove and disguard the corn cobs from broth. Whisk the hot stock into the onion mixture several ladlefuls at a time until incorporated. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, cook for another 8-10 mintues.

Serve with Oyster Crackers (from Trader Joes, of course!).